Egypt & The Biafran War: From Pan-African Solidarity To Historical Grievance
Introduction: Historical Memory and Modern Emotion
FOR many Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria, the mention of Egypt elicits strong emotions that extend far beyond biblical symbolism or ancient history. This reaction—often perceived externally as rooted in religious narratives about Israelites in Egypt—is actually grounded in a political and historical memory of events during the Nigerian–Biafran Civil War (1967–1970). The collective recollection among many Igbo communities is that Egypt, under its then leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, aligned decisively against Biafra, contributing military support to the Nigerian federal government.
Egypt’s Strategic Calculation
When the Eastern Region of Nigeria declared the Republic of Biafra in May 1967, declaring independence from the federal government, what followed was a brutal civil war that lasted nearly three years and claimed millions of lives, primarily through combat, starvation and disease. At the international level, the conflict became a focal point of Cold War geopolitics as well as African post-colonial statecraft.
Egypt’s foreign policy at the time was shaped by President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s broader Pan-African and non-aligned worldview. Nasser saw Africa as a strategic sphere of influence and often framed support for anti-colonial movements as integral to Egyptian diplomacy. Yet, when faced with Nigeria’s federal crisis, Cairo sided with the federal government rather than the breakaway Biafran state.
According to Egyptian records, President Nasser assessed that Biafra’s secession threatened the territorial integrity of a major African state and could set a precedent for similar movements across the continent. Consequently, he decided to back Nigeria’s federal government, responding to direct appeals from Federal Military Government leader Yakubu Gowon. Cairo provided trained pilots and military expertise—initially through contracted Egyptian Air Force personnel—to operate Soviet-supplied MiG-17 fighter jets and assist federal forces.
Military Support and Its Impacts
Egypt’s military involvement extended beyond diplomatic statements; retired Egyptian pilots were recruited to fly combat missions for Nigeria’s air force. These pilots flew MiG-17 jets and bombers that had been procured from the Soviet bloc, enhancing federal military capacity at a critical juncture. Their mission was to counter Biafran air operations and assist in strategic strikes on Biafran positions, including key infrastructure such as airfields.
Contemporary accounts from historians note that the presence of Egyptian pilots was significant not only for its practical effects but also for its symbolic resonance. In many Biafran war narratives, these air operations are cited as pivotal and controversial—particularly among Igbo communities who witnessed or learned of civilian casualties resulting from federal bombing campaigns. One historical source describes how the Egyptian pilots’ actions adversely affected civilian perception, leading to intensified international sympathy for Biafra’s humanitarian plight.
Biafran Perception and Collective Memory
Among many Igbo historians, activists, and survivors of the war, Egypt’s role has been internalised as an example of external betrayal—an intervention that contributed directly to the suffering and devastation of Biafra. Unlike support from other international actors, which is often analysed within geopolitical frameworks of the Cold War or colonial legacy, Egypt’s contribution is remembered personally and politically by Igbo communities as having deepened wartime trauma. This collective memory persists in literature, diaspora narratives, and public discourse, shaping how Egyptians are viewed within Igbo historical consciousness.
This perception is not merely a product of myth or oversimplified retelling; rather, it reflects how lived experiences of wartime violence and loss can crystallise into narratives of ally and adversary that endure across generations.
Diplomacy After the War
Despite the painful legacy of the conflict, post-war diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Egypt did continue and, in many respects, strengthened in the decades that followed. After the federal victory in 1970, Nigeria’s then-leader, Yakubu Gowon, undertook a state visit to Cairo and publicly thanked President Nasser for Egypt’s support, framing it within a narrative of solidarity against secession and in favour of Nigerian unity.
Over subsequent decades, the two states developed cooperative ties in trade, education, and cultural exchange. Nigerian leaders have welcomed Egyptian technical cooperation and have participated jointly in efforts to advance African political unity. However, these diplomatic efforts have not fully mitigated the emotional and historical legacies carried by many east-central Nigerians.
Conclusion: Politics, Memory, and History
The historical role of Egypt in the Biafran War cannot be reduced merely to a footnote in Cold War geopolitics. It is deeply woven into how many Igbo people interpret their past and understand the interplay between foreign intervention and national trauma. While some historians emphasise Egypt’s rationale as a defence of territorial integrity and anti-separatism, many Igbo communities view Egypt’s actions through the lens of lived suffering—making the encounter a persistent point of historical and political reflection.
Understanding this complex legacy is essential not only for historians of the Biafran War but also for contemporary publics who grapple with the ways in which international relations are remembered and reenacted across generations.
